In For I am a Sign, an artist's book for children, Ryan Gander collaborates with his non-verbal son, Baxter, to explore the intersection between verbal and non-verbal language.
Together, they play a game inspired by the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Baxter selects the pictures, which Ryan then paints before Baxter adds his own finishing touches with oil sticks. Everyone is invited to take part!
Published in the occasion of the exhibition Maybe: Ryan Gander, from 14 November 2026 to 11 April 2027 at Towner Eastbourne (UK).
Ryan Gander (born 1976 in Chester, UK, lives and works in Suffolk) has established an international reputation through artworks that materialise in many different forms—from sculpture to film, writing, graphic design, installation, performance and more besides. Through associative thought processes that connect the everyday and the esoteric, the overlooked and the commonplace. Gander's work involves a questioning of language and knowledge, as well as a reinvention of both the modes of appearance and the creation of an artwork. His work can be reminiscent of a puzzle, or a network with multiple connections and the fragments of an embedded story. It is ultimately a huge set of hidden clues to be deciphered, encouraging viewers to make their own associations and invent their own narrative in order to unravel the complexities staged by the artist.
